View of Cragside house surrounded by rhododendrons in north east England — Rhododendrons putting on a colourful display at Cragside | © National Trust / John Millar

Gardens in the North East

A family of three walking along a path in the Rock Garden. It's rhododendron season and the family are surrounded by pink and purple flowers.

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Rhododendrons at Cragside

It's almost rhododendron time at Cragside! Cragside’s rhododendron display is a flower show like no other. For a few short weeks each spring the huge 1000-acre estate that surrounds the House, bursts into bloom.

A close-up of a large, furry bee is sitting on some white flowers, possibly cow parsley,

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Wallington's White Border

There’s a new attraction at Wallington this spring – one that will welcome visitors and wildlife all through the summer and into autumn. The new white border, thought to be the longest in the UK , has been designed with a long flowering season in mind and with plants that will benefit insects and birds.

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Seaton Delaval Hall's Laburnum Arch

Laburnum arch watch starts in May when its hanging yellow petals start to bud. The laburnum arch is most striking from mid-May to early June when its masses of yellow flowers are in bloom. Over 20 trees grow over the arched tunnel, which leads through to the arboretum.

Close up image of white cherry blossom flowers against a deep blue spring sky at Coleton Fishacre.

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Blossom at Cherryburn

Cherryburn is practically bursting with blossom, boasting cherry, pear, plum and apple blossom as well as hawthorn and blackthorn. But it’s the large white cherry tree in front of the farmhouse that steals the limelight, wowing visitors throughout the spring and making for wonderful photographs.

The Formal Garden at Cragside with a row of white benches and a border bursting with colourful dahlias behind, with more of the garden visible in the background

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The garden at Cragside

Explore this huge landscaped garden, designed for beauty and function, with it's towering trees, man-made lakes and tumbling waterfalls. Walk under the canopy of some of the tallest trees of their kind in the Pinetum, explore the weaving paths in the Rock Garden and witness the changing seasons in the Formal Gardens.

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The garden at Wallington

Take a stroll through the East Wood to discover Wallington's secluded walled garden, offering year-round colour. Wander along the terrace, pause to hear the trickling water from the Mary Pool, sit and reflect in the storytelling garden and look out for snowdrops and early flowering bulbs starting to appear.

Visitors on the Explorer trail at Gibside

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The 18th-century landscape garden at Gibside

Escape the hustle and bustle of modern life within 600 acres of Georgian landscape garden at Gibside, with its tree-lined Avenue, walled garden, winding woodland paths and views over the Derwent Valley.

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The garden at Seaton Delaval Hall

Designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, the garden at Seaton Delaval Hall provides the same sense of theatricality as the Hall itself. At this time of year when the trees are bare, it's all about the views, from the formal lines of the hedges and the geometry of the Parterre to the long, bare branches of the great weeping ash.

A family in the Gertrude Jekyll garden at Lindisfarne, Northumberland

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The Gertrude Jekyll Garden at Lindisfarne Castle

Discover the small walled garden created by Arts and Crafts designer Gertrude Jekyll. A sheltered oasis all year round, it’s a peaceful place to sit and admire the view and watch the flocks of wading birds and geese flying past the castle during the winter months.

A wide aerial view over Crook Hall Gardens on a sunny spring day. Trees and shrubs are in full leaf, with colourful flowers in borders between green lawns. The roof of the café can be seen between the gardens and buildings on the edge of the city, with Durham Cathedral just visible in the distance

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The garden at Crook Hall Gardens

Wander through a series of interlinking gardens, each with its own style and character, set against the backdrop of a Grade I listed medieval hall. Discover the maze, take in colourful shrubs and stems and enjoy views of Durham city and cathedral. Crook Hall Gardens is now closed until 10 February 2024.

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The garden at Ormesby Hall

Explore the garden at Ormesby Hall, a green oasis in the heart of industrial Middlesbrough. Wander through the colourful Victorian formal garden, stroll through the growing orchard or stretch your legs on a walk through the estate.

The exterior of Washington Old Hall against clear blue sky. Carved stone eagles top the walls either side of a set of stone steps. Trees in leaf are visible and a pink dog rose is close up in the foreground.

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The garden at Washington Old Hall

Explore the tranquil garden surrounding this picturesque stone manor house in the heart of Washington village, with it's intricate knot garden, miniature apple orchard and wildlife-rich nuttery.

Blossom is a welcome sign that spring has arrived. There are many varieties to spot, both on your doorstep and at a National Trust place. Share your pictures on social media using the hashtag #BlossomWatch to spread the joy of spring.

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Blossom at Crook Hall Gardens

In late April and early May, the orchard's traditional variety apple trees surround visitors in clouds of frothy white-pink blossom amongst a carpet of spring flowers. In 2024, Crook Hall Gardens is at the heart of a city-wide Durham Blossom programme; highlights include a blossom picnic weekend with cream teas and live music, guided walks, mindful photography by boat, blossom bathing and songwriting workshops.

Girl holding phone in garden with apple trees covered in blossom.

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Blossom at Gibside

One of a few surviving 18th-century designed landscapes Gibside was fashioned with two things in mind: spectacular vista views and ‘wow’ moments. The Walled Garden at Gibside has fruit blossom in spring, from the early blooming apricot tree, which produces blush pink flowers in February and March, to the plum, cherry and apple blossoms that appear from March to late May.

Open white blossom flowers each with five, small, cup-shaped petals, and brown-tipped stamens, set against dark green leaves

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Blossom on Durham Coast

Look out for blackthorn and hawthorn blossom in the hedgerows, scrub and woodlands of the Durham Coast. Blackthorn is usually the first to flower, from around March to June, before its leaves start to show. Where it flourishes, masses of delicate creamy white flowers can make a hedge appear snow-covered. Hawthorn, also known as May blossom or May tree, blooms between April and June, after its leaves emerge. Its scented flower clusters are white, sometimes with a pink tinge. Both trees are important to wildlife, supporting hundreds of insect species.

Early blossom at Wallington, Northumberland

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Wallington Blossom

There are several varieties of ornamental cherry blossom at Wallington, including the fragrant white flowers of the Great White Cherry that grows in the orchard square in the Walled Garden. This wildlife-friendly cherry is a particular favourite of bees, who can often be seen hopping between its flowers as they search for nectar, and the blossom looks like wedding confetti as it drops.

In the foreground there is a branch with white cherry blossom. The Cherryburn museum, an 18th century farmhouse is in the background.

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Blossom at Cherryburn

They’re celebrating Blossom at Cherryburn, offering blossom bathing in hammocks under the trees and talks about the importance of blossom as an early food source. Visitors are invited to write a nature-based Haiku and hang the poems in the garden and Cherryburn’s resident gardener will be available for "ask the gardener" sessions as well as hosting a potting station.

Celebrate the beauty of blossom this spring with a number of events and activities at Gibside, Crook Hall Gardens and Cherryburn.